


Reboot (7) - Fever

by Prisca



Series: Reboot-Universe [7]
Category: Jeremiah (TV), The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, M/M, Reboot-Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 05:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5572993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the downfall of the old world and the beginning of a new one.</p><p>Casey has managed it to kill the alien queen, but her death caused a virus which killed almost every adult within some weeks.<br/>Now Casey and Zeke are on the road to find a mysterious place named Thunder Mountain  ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reboot (7) - Fever

**Author's Note:**

> This will not be a WIP with who-knows-how-much chapters but a universe I want to play with. There will be a central theme running trough all the stories, but mostly there will be stand-alone chapter. It takes place in a world after the Big Death (Jeremiah) but it will mainly tell the story of Casey & Zeke (The Faculty). You don't need to know anything about Jeremiah or The Faculty to read these stories, but if you do some elements will be quite familiar for you. Not movie-conform!

It was on their way to Oregon when the storm hit them with full force. Cars were a rarity on the roads nowadays but usually, there were people walking around, with handcarts or old trolleys, others riding bikes, sometimes a carriage, loaded with all kind of stuff. But now the road was empty, it seemed to be hours that they had seen any sign of life. No wonder, the heavy storm had turned the world into a dark, strange place; huge swathes of lightning lit up the sky, the trees were bending up and down, the rain was pattering on the front shield of the Chevrolet, the wiper barely able to fight it.

Zeke had finally turned out the music, his concentration completely focused on the road in front of him. Probably it would be better to look for a place where they could wait until the storm died down. But as long as Zeke was willing to move on Casey would not ask him for a rest. Maybe their trip finally drew to a close.

About a week ago in a small town in California, Oilsdale. They were almost out of gas and Zeke had decided to try his luck in the bar first; the bars were the place where you could found almost everything nowadays. It was only a small, shabby room, smoke-filled from the open fireplace, most windows broken and nailed up, so that the daylight was almost blocked out. Low muttering voices, fighting and yelling greeted them when Zeke opened the door.

Casey always felt jumpy when they entered a place like this, one could never know what would happen though Zeke was smart and always acted cautiously. Unlike him Casey was grown up in a good but strict home and he knew well enough without Zeke his plan to find 'Thunder Mountain' would probably have failed within a week or two. He had left the Merriot Hotel with nothing than a small backpack, sometimes he wondered how far he would have been willing to go when his small ration of food, candles and other stuff would had been used up within some days. He had seen a lot during the last weeks, people took what they needed with brute force, others did sell all, their soul and their body. The thought always made him shudder that he probably would have ended like one of them … if not …

… Zeke had decided to come with him. His parents had left him alone when he was barely thirteen years old. He had learned to live on his own and to fight for what he wanted. When he had left Herrington to follow Casey he had taken a lot useful stuff with him, batteries, tobacco, booze, and he used it wise to trade in all they needed. Put one or two batteries and some cigarettes on a table and you could be sure to get all the attention you wanted. But it was also a risk. In a world without law and rules it could always happen that you ended up with the wrong guys.

Zeke knew this as well as Casey and he had tried to keep him out of it. But Casey had insisted on going with him. Not to know what was going on and if Zeke would come back to him in one piece was more scaring than facing the danger. Zeke had finally given in but told him to stay in the background. Which was totally okay for him. Zeke might be good when it came to the dealings but Casey knew how to start a talk with people and to get useful informations. Of course, he always asked about Thunder Mountain but all tips he had gotten so far had led them to a blind alley.

This time though he had a good feeling. What the guy in the bar had told him made more sense than all he had heard before.

„Thunder Mountain? I wouldn't get my hopes too high. Many people are already looking for this place, but no one I know did ever came back.“

„But you've heard about it,“ Casey had asked excitedly.  
„So it is existing!“

„Just rumors,“ the man had answered.  
„The guy who was passing through. He got drunk, started to rumble. Talked about a restricted military base, built into a mountain. Somewhere in Oregon, where he was working before the Big Death.“

He had paused and shrugged.

„Some people cling at the thought that the huge complex he talked about, separated from the world, with an own power supply, water-treatment and all, is still existing. They call it a sanctuary. Some even talk about laboratories where scientists are working on an antitoxin against the Big Death.“

„And what are you thinking,“ Zeke had asked him.

„The world has turned into a mad-house.“  
The guy had smirked.  
„I wish I could still have some hope for a better one but I've seen too much to follow some stupid rumors. This place is not the worst, you know, much better than to be alone out there, searching for a pipedream.“

Casey knew, Zeke secretly agreed with him. Oregon was a long way off and it could be a waste of time and gas to go there. Even if this military base had ever existed … and still did, it seemed rather unlikely that they could find it without any clue. But before Casey could say a word, Zeke stand up.

„So, let's get our stuff together, Oregon sounds fine for me.“

+++  
  
Casey did awake rudely from a light sleep when the car stopped abruptly. Zeke groaned briefly.

"What's wrong,“ Casey asked, expecting the worst, a collision with a fallen tree or a failure of the engine, they were alone out here, the storm was still raging ...

Then he noticed Zeke's face, pale and exhausted. Guilt rushed through him, suddenly he felt selfish, all he had thought about was to reach the mountains in Oregon and to start searching again. Someone would know more about this military base, about Thunder Mountain, someone would tell him how to get there. He had pushed the thought aside that he actually didn't even know what to do when he finally reached his destination. And Zeke was with him all the time, without complaining he had struggled with the storm for hours, not caring about his exhaustion.

"Zeke, you need a break," he almost whispered.  
„We should look for a place where we can stay overnight.“

No reaction. Zeke had closed his eyes now, leaning back his head. Sweat on his forehead. Alarmed Casey reached out for his arm, he could feel the heat of his body even through the thick fabric of his old jacket. Despite that, he was trembling all over. Casey was caught by a wave of panic, he started to shake him desperately. He could laugh and call him an 'overreacting drama-queen' or he could yell at him: 'Hey, what are you doing?'

Everything would be okay for him, everything. But a slight groaning was the only reaction he got, it was obvious that Zeke had lost consciousness.

+++

Hard to say how long Casey was just sitting there, staring at Zeke. He seemed to regain his consciousness after some minutes, but it was not a relief; he was tossing and turning so fitfully that Casey started to worry that he might hurt himself, he was coughing and choking and worst of all he didn't seem to recognize his surroundings … or Casey.

It was frightening to see him in that bad state, Zeke was the one who always kept a level head even in the most tricky situations. Casey usually just followed his instincts. But in the moment he couldn't feel anything but panic. Pictures crossed his mind, the first days after Mary Beth, when the old world was falling apart, when people collapsed just everywhere, in the houses, at work, on the streets. He hid under the porch of his house, had closed his eyes and covered his ears, to block out all the horror … until Zeke did find him …

Zeke! Casey sniffed and bit his lip until he tasted blood. Was it possible that the Big Death was back? Back then only the older ones seemed to be affected, but Zeke had always warned not to be too careless because every virus could mutate.

Suddenly Zeke's head bumped against the front door and tore Casey out of his numbness. He mind started to work again. The storm had calmed down a bit, but the rain was still pouring down, impossible to set up the small tent not to mention to light a fire. But he needed to keep Zeke warm and safe. He somehow managed it to adjust the back of Zeke's seat, then he grabbed for a cushion and one of the sleeping bags they always stored on the back-seat. Zeke groaned when he carefully lifted his head, the skin felt hot and sweat-soaked.

“Don't you dare it,” Casey murmured, fighting his tears.  
“Don't you dare it to leave me alone in this mess!”

He needed to bring the fever down. Desperately he tried to remember what his mom had done when he got sick. Hot tea with honey and cold compresses, bed-rest in a darkened room. Compresses sounded good. Zeke always insisted on some cans with boiled water, now Casey was thankful for that. He tore one of his older T-Shirts in stripes, wet them, put them around Zeke's ankles and on his forehead. The boy tried to fight him.

“Cold,” he groaned.

Casey pulled the sleeping bag back around him.  
“I know,” he whispered.  
“But it will get better soon.”

Though he was not sure, there was not much he could do. Water. Zeke needed to drink plenty of fluids but it seemed to be a hopeless try to make him swallow. He coughed and put up a fight when Casey hold a glass onto his dry lips, spilled most of the water. With shaking hands he was sitting beside him and he wished he could turn back the time and there would be doctors and hospitals. But this was a pipe-dream, no one would come to help Zeke, it was all up to him. He needed to figure something out.

Suddenly a small, black box caught his eyes. Stuff, they had found some weeks ago in the basement of a drugstore, not much, just some bandages, band-aid and antiseptic, some expired meds … and one-way syringes. Maybe if he could fill one of them with water and feed Zeke drop by drop?

He lost any track of time, changed the wet clothes, refilled the syringe again and again, and finally Zeke seemed to calmed down and fall into a quieter sleep. Casey wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad sign but his own exhaustion finally gained the upper hand over the urge to take care of Zeke. He curled up on the co-driver's seat, one hand at Zeke's chest, and he drifted off.

+++  
  
Zeke opened his eyes and felt a dull pain in his head. He needed a moment to take in his surroundings, he was in the Chevrolet, outside it was dark, only the moon gave a dim light … and it was quiet. Too quiet. He remembered the storm, when did it calm down? He was driving … driving, endless, empty roads ... Oregon, he wanted to go to Oregon, the Calapooya Mountains where they wanted to start with their search for Thunder Mountain.

He licked his dry lips and slowly sit up. A dark figure was crouching beside him. Casey. Casey? He reached out and touched him. With an outcry the boy jumped up.

“Sorry,” Zeke murmured.  
“Didn't mean to wake you up.”

“Zeke?”  
Casey sleepy voice turned into panic.  
“Oh no, I was asleep.”

“That's okay, I guess.”  
Zeke was still no sure what had happened.  
“Where are we? The storm … the last I can remember ... before … what?”

“You got sick.”  
Casey sniffed.  
“And I didn't know what to do.”

“Shit!”  
Zeke dropped his head back into the cushion.  
“How long ...”

“A day and a half,” Casey answered with a still shaking voice.  
“You suddenly broke down, high fever, and you didn't even recognize me. I was all alone but I knew I needed to keep a clear hear. There was not much I could do, though.”

Zeke closed his eyes again, slowly the pieces started to fall back into its place. The exhausting drive, his eyes had started to hurt, his head hammered wildly. Then … nothing. But he knew what had happened, it was not the first time. The breakdown had been in coming for quiet a while but stubborn as he was he had ignored the obvious signs instead of looking for a sheltered place to await the end of the storm.

He could barely remember, had lost a day and a half, good god. Only broken bits and he couldn't even be sure what was true and what just a feverish figment. Cold. Heat. Shaking. Someone had taken care of him, he could remember cold compresses and someone covered him into thick blankets. He had felt like a child again, inwardly yelling for his mom, but she was not there, only a nanny did take care of him. But she had never been that loving, tender, he was just a job for her. Casey! His home was long gone, like the world was gone. He was on the road together with Casey, in the old Chevrolet.

“Water!”  
It was quiet an effort to re-opened his eyes.  
“I guess, I could need some water.”

“Yeah, sure!”  
A flashlight was switched on, the batteries almost flat, it hardly gave off any light. But the relief on Casey's face was immense, when he grabbed for a glass, filled it and hold it onto Zeke's lips. First he tried to protest, but then he noticed the weakness of his body, every move was like a struggle against pain and tiredness. Finally Casey pulled the glass away.

“That should be enough,” he said, still beaming.  
“You are better!”

Zeke smiled wearily.  
“I'm fine,” he murmured.

Casey chuckled slightly.  
“I was so scared,” he admitted.  
“that … it might be ...”  
He shuddered.  
“... the virus. That you ...”

Zeke shook his head.  
“Sorry. I should have known better. A kind of stress attack. Never thought I would have to go through this again. It's ages ago since the last time.”

“The last time?”  
Casey looked confused.

“I was ten years old, my birthday, and my parents were on their way to a cruise in Australia. I felt sick all day. My dad got angry, thought I was just faking illness because I didn't want them to leave. In the night I broke down, crying, shaking all over. The nanny called the doc and he gave me some meds. Next day it was over.

But it happened again, migraine, high fever, sometimes I lost consciousness. No one could say were it did come from. Some times later our family doc suggested to visit a shrink.”

Zeke kept quiet for a moment, to talk was very tiring, but Casey deserved an explanation. He took another sip of water, then he continued.

“He was good. Helped me to find out what was wrong with me. Since I can remember I've tried to win the love of my parents. Probably they would have been better off without me. I was just a part of their perfect future plans but they weren't prepared for a permanent crying baby.

The doc told me, that this is probably the beginning of all my problems. Even then I could already feel their rejection. He did show me that there was only one way for me to move on: to let them go. To accept it that my parents gave a shit about me.”

Zeke could see the pity on Casey's face and forced a smile on his lips.  
“It did work. I took my life into my own hands … and I never had an attack again.”

“Until now. What happens, Zeke? Is it … my fault? Do I stress you out like … your parents?”

Zeke pulled the face and forced himself up.  
“Case, not this again,” he said.  
“It's time to get over it. Not all what happened in the world is your fault. And you are so not like my parents. They were uncaring and selfish. You try to save the world for the umpteenth time.”

“But it's my task, not yours.”  
Casey sighed.  
“You shouldn't be here at all. Without me you would still be in Herrington and this is a great better deal than being on the road for weeks. During a stupid storm. Looking for a place you don't even believe it exists.”

“I don't want to be in Herrington,” Zeke said gently.  
“Not without you. You are what I've always missed, someone I can trust, I can talk and laugh with, someone who takes care for me when I get sick. It didn't matter for me if it lasts a month or a year, the time on the road, together with you, is the best of my life.”

Casey still looked unsure, Zeke smiled.  
“Come here!”  
He reached out for Casey.  
“You are shaking like a leave! Take some rest now. I will be fine again."

It was not very comfortable when he pulled the thick sleeping bag around the two of them but they couldn't care less. Casey snuggled closer. Then their lips met, their first kiss was soft and comforting, no more words needed.

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted at my LJ 2015


End file.
